Officer Ziegler was contacted by a farmer in Andover Township, Sussex County, on the Saturday morning of Six Day Firearm Deer Season, because he heard a shot near his pasture, and then found a very large antlered deer dead in the pasture. Officers Ziegler and Petruccelli responded to the farm, and began conducting an investigation. Officer Ziegler recalled having complaints of a local resident hunting with the aid of his vehicle in that area in the past, and the officers went to his residence to question him. The suspect denied any involvement initially, but after being made aware of some inconsistencies in his story, he admitted to shooting the deer out of his truck window earlier in the morning. Summonses for uncased and loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, shooting from the road and hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle were issued.

An anonymous complaint of a deer shot with a rifle lead Officers Ziegler and Petruccelli to a butcher shop, and ultimately a residence in Montague Township, Sussex County. The deer in question had an obvious rifle hole in it, and had been tagged with a NY deer tag. After questioning the suspect about the deer and the anonymous complaint, the suspect admitted to shooting the deer with a .32 Winchester Special Lever-Action Rifle out of the window of his residence and tagging it with his NY Firearm Hunting License. The suspect was issued summonses for killing a deer with a rifle, using an illegal missile to kill a deer, failure to properly tag a deer and failure to properly register a deer.

Conservation Officers Martiak, Mascio and Riviello conducted a wildlife check point on the Assunpink WMA on Thanksgiving morning. After approximately ten vehicles had been checked, the officers stopped a vehicle with two male occupants. When the officers approached the vehicle, they smelled a pungent odor consistent with burning marijuana coming from the truck. The two men were ordered out of the vehicle and read their Miranda rights and admitted to the use of marijuana. They gave consent to search the vehicle and two uncased shotguns were subsequently recovered. An additional check of their hunting privileges showed that the driver was revoked and should not be hunting. The two men were charged with uncased firearms, possession of CDS, operating a motor vehicle in possession of CDS and hunting while revoked. The following day when they contacted the regional office to pick up their shotguns, it was determined that the driver was also a convicted felon who was not allowed to possess a firearm. The man was arrested when he came to the office to pick up his gun and transported to the Hamilton State Police barracks where he was processed and charged.

Conservation Officers Mascio and Riviello were conducting field inspections of bow hunters in Hopewell when they checked a hunter who had fresh blood in the bed of his pickup truck. The hunter denied having killed a deer. Upon further questioning, the hunter admitted that the blood belonged to a buck deer taken by another hunter. That hunter had already taken a buck during the permit bow season. The officers then met with the other hunter, who upon questioning, admitted that he had taken a second buck and used a tag belonging to another hunter to check in the deer. A total of five summonses were issued to the two men including: over the limit bucks, fail to tag, illegal possession, registering a deer not personally killed, and loaning of a permit.

Conservation Officers Martiak and Riviello investigated a NTI in Ewing Township, after receiving a call from a resident whose vehicle had been struck by an arrow. The resident had parked her three-week-old Cadillac in her apartment building parking lot one afternoon. The following afternoon, she went to her car and found a hole in the rear passenger door. Under the car she located an arrow, which turned out to be a crossbow bolt. Ewing Township Police Department investigated but did not contact our office. CO's Martiak and Riviello went to the scene and determined that the bolt most likely had been shot from an adjoining road, 48 yards away. Between the road and the parking lot is a narrow strip of grass and woods and a chain link fence. The cars in the lot were completely visible from the road. The investigation is continuing.

Prior to the legal start of hunting, on the opening day of the Six-Day Firearm Season, Conservation Officer Riviello and Captain Leonard set up the deer decoy in a blueberry field in Pemberton Township. Around 6am, they had a vehicle come by, light up the decoy and shoot. The vehicle then sped down the road. As the officers stopped the vehicle, a shotgun was thrown out of the window. A total of 15 summonses were issued to the two men, including hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, loaded firearm in a vehicle, uncased firearm, hunting deer out of season, legal hours for hunting, spotlight with a weapon in the vehicle, interference and shooting from a road.

Conservation Officers McManus and Szulecki focused their attention on firearm safety with pheasant hunters in Colliers Mills WMA. Both Officers had several hunters shoot across a publicly traveled roadway and cited them for doing so. In particular, Officer Szulecki had a hunter shoot at a quail that was flying head-high, thereby covering another hunter. Officer Szulecki was very quick to respond to what he observed. The hunter that got covered was extremely upset. He gave Officer Szulecki a written statement as to the shooter's failure to follow the cardinal rules of firearm safety. Officer Szulecki interviewed the shooter, who admitted to discharging his weapon in a careless manner without due caution or circumspection. Officer Szulecki cited the hunter for taking a quail during the closed season and careless discharge of a weapon.

Officers Szulecki and McManus, in late November, observed pheasant hunters hunting near the roadway. They observed one hunter raise his firearm and track a bird across a roadway, covering both Officers in the process. The hunter did not shoot at the bird; however, he did fire at another bird parallel to the roadway. Officers McManus and Szulecki inspected the hunter and advised him to be muzzle conscious and advised the hunter about shooting across the roadway. The hunter became verbally combative, insisting he did nothing wrong and demanding to know why he was being checked. A few weeks later, Officer McManus observed the same hunter, in the same general location, fire his weapon across the road. Officer McManus seized the hunter's weapon and issued him a summons for discharging his firearm across the roadway. The hunter was extremely irate with Officer McManus. Officer McManus had to contact Jackson P.D., who sent three officers to keep the hunter calm while Officer McManus processed the scene.

Conservation Officer Szulecki responded to a non-targeted impact in the area of Colts Neck Township. He was joined by Chief Chicketano, Captain Herrighty and Conservation Officer McManus. The scene involved a dozen hunters and an extensive amount of evidence was gathered. A total of 25 GPS coordinates where obtained. 39 photographs were taken and a dozen hunters were interviewed regarding the incident. Officer Szulecki, with the assistance of his fellow officers, was able to pin point where the shooter was at the time of the incident. The following charges were issued to the shooter: three counts of careless discharge of a firearm while hunting, one count of possessing a loaded firearm within 450 feet of an occupied building, one count of causing damage to property while hunting.

Conservation Officer Szulecki responded to a hunting incident in Colliers Mills WMA. Apparently, a hunter shot at a pheasant from the wood line into an open grassy field, striking another pheasant hunter in his right arm and hand. Lieutenants Lacroix and O'Rourke assisted Officer Szulecki with the incident, and the shooter was issued a summons for negligent use of a firearm while hunting.

During the permit muzzleloader season, Officer Szulecki received some complaints from residents in the Howell Township area about hunters too close to homes. Officer Szulecki found a muzzleloader hunter walking among five homes and upon closer inspection he was able to determine the hunter still had a cap on his muzzle-loading rifle. The hunter was issued a summons for having a loaded firearm within 450 feet of an occupied building.

While patrolling Stafford Forge WMA, Lieutenant O'Rourke observed a pheasant hunter working along the water's edge towards the entrance to the WMA. He made contact with the hunter because the hunter was surrounded by roadways. Lt. O'Rourke asked the hunter, "If you flushed a bird, where would you shoot?" The hunter pointed across Forge Rd. Lt. O'Rourke advised the hunter of the law with regard to shooting on or across roadways. One week later, Lt. O'Rourke observed a hunter fire his weapon twice across Forge Rd. then run across the road to get his pheasant. Upon inspecting the hunter, Lt. O'Rourke immediately recognized the hunter from the week before and asked him why he shot across the roadway. The hunter stated he was extremely tired and that was the reason for shooting across the roadway and he apologized for his actions. Lt. O'Rourke issued the hunter a summons for shooting across a road.

Conservation Officer McManus was flagged down by pheasant hunters in Colliers Mills WMA and told about a pair of hunters that appeared to be intoxicated in the field. Officer McManus canvassed the area and located two men that matched the description provided by the other hunters. CO Szulecki and the New Jersey State Police arrived on scene to assist. During the field sobriety tests, the hunter had slurred speech and had difficulty completing the tests. At one point in the balance test, the officers noticed a white powder in the nose of the intoxicated hunter. The hunter dismissed their concerns and shoved both his index fingers into his nostrils. During the interaction, a Trooper asked the hunter if he had any other weapons on him. The hunter reached into his pocket and handed his wallet over to the Trooper. The Trooper noticed two little plastic bags with white powder in them in the wallet. The hunter was taken into custody and arrested for hunting with a gun while under the influence of a drug, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Conservation Officer Kille was on a routine patrol in Logan Township, Gloucester County when he observed a truck parked along Birch Creek. After inspecting the vehicle it was evident that the occupants were waterfowl hunting. Considering it was mid-day CO Kille decided that he would return later to inspect the hunters. CO Kille returned later as planned and the hunters had already departed. The next morning a Greenwich Township resident called CO Kille reporting that his decoys had been stolen. The man described that he routinely leaves his decoys in the water out of convenience. He returned to his hunting spot on Birch Creek that morning and noticed his decoys were gone. Suspecting that the hunters from the day before had something to do with the disappearance of the equipment CO Kille went to the hunter's residence in Pennsville, Salem County. Upon arrival CO Kille observed, in plain view, the victim's decoys within a boat in the driveway. An interview was conducted with the suspect and later with an additional involved person. Subsequently admissions of guilt were obtained and the victim's property was recovered. The two men were charged with receiving stolen property and hunter harassment. Additionally, as they were leaving the property they had been trespassing on the two individuals located a dead buck and removed the antlers. The untagged antlers were also in plain view when CO Kille arrived at the residence and both individuals admitted to possessing them unlawfully during the interview.  Both individuals were also charged for possessing unregistered deer parts.

Conservation Officers Kille and Fox investigated a complaint of illegal deer hunting initially reported to Elk Township Police Department in Gloucester County. The complainant reported having heard shots from what was believed to be from a shotgun during a muzzleloader only season and subsequently observing two men loading a deer in the bed of a white pickup. A name was supplied to CO's Kille and Fox as one of the suspected hunters. They located where the suspect lived and responded to the residence. Upon arrival they observed a white pickup with a small amount of blood on the bumper. An interview was conducted and the man eventually admitted to having hunted the day before with a shotgun despite it not being in season, but indicated that his friend had harvested the deer. Shortly thereafter his friend was interviewed who admitted to harvesting an eight-point buck with a shotgun. The deer, which already had been butchered, was seized as evidence along with the shotguns that were used. The men were charged with shotgun hunting for deer during a closed season, possessing illegal weapons and missiles for the purpose of deer hunting, unlawful possession of a deer, failure to tag a deer, failure to register a deer and for harvesting a buck without a buck permit.

Conservation Officer Kille had received a call early in the archery season from a man who was interested in going hunting again after approximately 20 years away from the sport. CO Kille suggested a wildlife management area located in East Greenwich, Gloucester County that a lot of people hadn't yet discovered for its deer hunting potential. Knowing that the wildlife management area was frequented by the general public, CO Kille and members of Bureau of Lands Management posted signs restricting vehicle access to the small amount of woods on the management area. The man couldn't have been happier and called CO Kille in late November to thank him for assisting him. During the opening morning of the second duck season CO Kille noticed two trucks in the "parking lot" of this wildlife management area while in route to a complaint. Later that day, the man who Officer Kille assisted earlier called him reporting that a vehicle was parked in the rear of the wildlife management area and the signs restricting access were no longer there. CO Kille responded and discovered that the vehicle was the one of the same trucks he observed that morning when the signs were still there. After a short interview the man admitted to having removed the signs because he didn't feel like walking in like he had to that morning. He was charged with damaging state property and operating a motor vehicle in a restricted area.

On the opening day of six-day firearm season Conservation Officer Kille was patrolling in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County. The majority of the property along the Delaware River in this town is privately owned and very appealing to hunters because of the abundance of deer. CO Kille checked an area owned by the Valero Refining Company because he had success in apprehending a man there on the opening day of six-day firearm in 2011. After a short foot patrol CO Kille apprehended the same man, hunting the same tree as he did in 2011. He was "again" charged accordingly with trespass for the purpose of hunting and hunting without orange.

Conservation Officers Kille and Stites responded to Elk Township, Gloucester County during the six-day firearm season after receiving a phone call about a group of hunters currently hunting who have historically shot antlerless deer in that area before. After a couple hours of surveillance, CO's Kille and Stites confronted the hunters and one of the hunters exited the woods without a gun claiming that he was not hunting. The man told the CO's Kille and Stites that he owed $22,000 in child support and that's why he wasn't hunting. During an interview the man revealed he had served three years in prison and didn't want to get into any more trouble. After the man was advised of his options he escorted CO Kille to the location where he had hid his gun. He was charged with hunting without a license and for interference with the duties of Conservation Officer.

During six-day firearm deer season Conservation Officer Toppin patrolled near the Ancora State Hospital in Winslow Township, Camden County. He had received complaints of hunting late during deer season. He apprehended two hunters hunting 45 minutes after legal shooting time. He issued the two hunters summonses for hunting after legal shooting time.

Conservation Officer Toppin was contacted by a hunter and investigated an ongoing hunter harassment complaint in Winslow Township, Camden County. While out on foot patrol, CO Toppin observed an individual in the complainant's deer stand. CO Toppin identified himself and observed the individual smoking marijuana. CO Toppin arrested the individual without incident. He was charged for the possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and for the possession of drug paraphernalia.

Conservation Officers Stites and Toppin responded to a hunting accident in Mantua Township, Gloucester County during the six-day firearm deer season. A local group of deer hunters were involved in driving deer when the accident occurred. The investigation led them to one single hunter that shot in an unsafe direction and struck the other hunter with two pellets in the thigh and foot. Based on evidence collected at the scene and witness statements, CO Toppin filed complaints for negligent discharge and careless discharge of a weapon through the Superior Court of Gloucester County.

Conservation Officer Toppin received information about a stolen deer stand in Alloway Township, Salem County. An individual had left notes on a legal hunter's deer stand that "Federal Game Wardens" were watching him and going to cite him for trespass if he did not move his stand. A few days after the notes were left, the stand was stolen. CO Toppin interviewed the suspect, who is a hunter as well. CO Toppin got a full confession and written statement outlining his illegal activities. CO Toppin issued a summons for hunter harassment and a written warning for impersonating a Conservation Officer.

Lieutenant Risher and Captain Cianciulli received information that a hunter was trespassing while wearing orange on posted private property during the six-day firearm deer season in Franklin Township, Gloucester County. They conducted a foot patrol and located a single hunter that had fallen asleep with very little hunter orange on in a deer stand. The hunter finally woke-up and saw the officers at the base of his stand. There was fresh blood at the base of the tree and on the hunter's boot. During the interview the hunter stated that he had not killed anything that day. Lt. Risher continued with the field interview as Capt. Cianciulli followed the blood trail away from the stand. Lt. Risher asked to see the hunter's buck knife which he stated was in his backpack along with the orange vest that he wore into the woods but not in the stand. Lt. Risher observed fresh deer blood on the knife and the hunter finally admitted to killing a four pointer and that he did not tag or register the deer. The hunter took them back to the residence where the illegal deer was located. Lt. Risher charged him with hunting without the required amount of hunter orange and for failing to tag or register a deer as required by law. There were questions as to whether or not the hunter, a Florida resident, could legally be on the property in question so the trespassing charges weren't filed.

On the Saturday of six-day firearm season, Conservation Officers Toppin and Vazquez responded to a non-target impact in Winslow Township, Camden County. Lt. Risher assisted with the investigation. Based on information provided by the Winslow Police Department, the CO's were able to interview all the parties involved in the deer drive that led to the house being shot by a juvenile hunter. It was determined based on witness statements and evidence collected at the scene that the juvenile hunter accidently shot the house and caused damage. The juvenile hunter entered into a station house agreement that he voluntarily accepts a revocation for a two year period and must complete a remedial hunter education class. The family has agreed to make restitution to the victim for the damages caused to the home. Furthermore, the investigation also determined that one of the adult hunters also violated state law. The adult hunter was a non-resident and deer hunted with a resident license, harvested a doe without a valid permit shotgun season permit, failed to tag or registered the deer he killed and shot twice in a careless manner in the direction of the juvenile hunter. Lt. Risher filed the charges for the wrongful procurement of a license, not having a valid shotgun permit, failing to tag or register a deer, and the two counts of careless discharge of a firearm.

Lt. Risher received a complaint from Captain Leonard in reference to illegal hunting along the power-lines in the Union Lake Wildlife Management Area in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County. Lt. Risher contacted the original complainant and responded to the area. While en-route, the complainant called Lt. Risher to report that he observed a pick-up truck enter the management area with a large reclining sofa chair and that the same truck left a short time later without the chair. The complainant stopped the driver and had the person remain at the location until Lt. Risher arrived. Lt. Risher interviewed the suspect and he admitted to throwing the recliner out because he did not get to the Cumberland County Landfill before it closed. Lt. Risher charged the illegal dumper with dumping refuse on a wildlife management area. The investigation regarding illegal deer hunting at the WMA continues.

Conservation Officer Vazquez has had repeated complaints from a homeowner in Buena, Atlantic County of gun clubs who drive deer past his home well within the 450 foot safety zone. This year, CO Vazquez was contacted by the complainant on the opening day of six-day firearm season and was in a position to respond quickly with Lt. Ely. The officers were able to get ahead of the drive and apprehend four hunters who were driving almost in a backyard and within 200 feet of the house. They were charged with being within 450 feet of an occupied dwelling with a loaded firearm. Members of the same club have unsuccessfully tried to take out restraining orders against CO's Vazquez and Toppin.

Conservation Officer Vazquez had a case in Mullica Township, Atlantic County, where a deer hunter attempted to check in a spike buck from an antler point restricted zone. Another hunter saw the man dragging out a spike buck in the APR zone and was able to identify the man's truck. The witness called CO Vazquez with the information. CO Vazquez looked up the hunter in the automated license system and found that the man did have a permit for zone 26 (non APR zone) and that is where he checked in his deer. Upon questioning by CO Vazquez, the man admitted that he had taken the deer in zone 28 and then checked it in zone 26. He was issued summonses for failure to properly tag a deer, failure to properly check in a deer and for taking a deer without three points on one antler.

Conservation Officer James investigated a possible non-target impact (NTI) on the Bevans Wildlife Management Area in Millville, Cumberland County. He received a call that a hunter had shot at a pheasant in the middle of Ackley Road and his pellets struck a car, chipping the windshield. CO James arrived and began to collect evidence. There were five separate hunters who witnessed the shot and they had identical stories. They said that the shooter pushed the pheasant out onto Ackley Road, which is heavily traveled by other hunters and the public, when the driver of a white truck saw the bird and had to stop. When the truck stopped to avoid hitting the pheasant, the hunter shot the pheasant which was standing in the middle of the road. Although the original complaint was that the pellets had struck and damaged a parked vehicle's windshield, the evidence collected and interpreted by CO James did not support this. The shooter was charged for the careless discharge of a weapon and for discharging his firearm across a road.

During the six-day firearm season, District 6 Conservation Officers issued eight summonses for individuals that were within 450 feet of an occupied dwelling with a loaded firearm and four summonses to individuals who trespassed for the purpose of hunting. Although these two violations are frequently reported complaints, they are often difficult to make apprehensions on due to the fleeting nature of the violators and the shortness of the season. Officers concentrated their efforts this year and were able to apprehend a number of subjects belonging to groups that they had received complaints about in previous seasons.

On 12/4/12 Lt. Snellbaker, CO's Nicklow, Tomlin, and Swift inspected a party fishing vessel in Sea Isle City, Cape May County carrying thirty members and guests of a Philadelphia - based fishing club. Although many of the patrons were compliant, five summonses were issued to individuals for filleting undersize tautog at sea. Based on information provided to the officers and multiple containers of soy sauce containers found during the inspection, the officers suspected that many undersized tautog were filleted by the patrons and then consumed at sea.

On 12/16/12 CO's Nicklow, Tomlin, and Harp inspected two party fishing vessels in Atlantic City. The first vessel came in with ten patrons on board and had no violations. As the officers wrapped up the first inspection, the second vessel with twenty-five patrons on board backed down into an adjacent slip. Before the officers could board the vessel, CO Nicklow observed one patron start to discard illegal fish. CO Nicklow shined his flashlight on the individual and made a loud clear order not to discard fish overboard. The individual failed to adhere to CO Nicklow's verbal direction and threw a plastic bag over the rail. Unfortunately for the noncompliant fisherman the plastic bag did not sink. CO Tomlin retrieved a large treble hook from CO Nicklow's patrol vehicle and recovered the discarded plastic bag and its contents before it floated away. The individual was issued summonses for five undersized tautog, three over the limit tautog, one undersized black sea bass, littering, and interference with the duties of a Conservation Officer. Five other patrons were issued additional summonses for undersized tautog.

Marine region officers assisted the northern region during the 2012, 6-day firearm deer/bear season. On Monday and Saturday, several marine CO's provided security at the bear check stations located at the Whittingham and Wildcat Ridge WMA's. Marine CO's also accompanied northern region CO's for field patrols throughout the week.

On 12/07/12, CO Klitz was on patrol in Neptune Township, Monmouth County. As he approached the Bry's Marina boat ramp he noted a recreational fishing boat being placed on a trailer at the ramp. He was speaking with several fishermen while waiting for this boat to be pulled out so a fisheries inspection could be performed. While CO Klitz was pre-occupied with the other fishermen, the owner of the vessel at the ramp immediately drove his boat and trailer away without fully securing the boat to the trailer. CO Klitz got back in his vehicle to see where the man was taking the boat. While driving behind the trailer CO Klitz could see the GPS plotter was still on and running along with other electronics on board the vessel. The driver pulled into a local gas station and CO Klitz performed a fisheries inspection at the station. CO Klitz found 12 tautog on board, which is 6 over the daily limit. A summons was issued for possessing over the daily possession limit of tautog.

On 12/2/12, at approximately 1700 hours, CO Soell inspected two fishermen at their vehicle outside of Barnegat Light State Park who possessed legal tautog. CO Soell then proceeded to leave the area and head off the island. On his way out of town, he saw a man and a woman wearing backpacks standing by the side of the road. As he passed he noticed the man start to take his backpack off. CO Soell quickly stopped and backed up to their location. At this point CO Soell got out of his vehicle and told them not to get rid of their backpacks. The backpack contained three, undersized tautog. As CO Soell was measuring these fish, the vehicle that had just been inspected at Barnegat Light State Park, drove by and slowed down. The vehicle went around the block and slowed to a stop to possibly wait for the two people that were currently being inspected. A summons for possessing undersized tautog was issued to the man with the short fish. CO Soell did confirm the previously inspected vehicle was in fact waiting for the two individuals with the backpacks.

On 10/21/12, CO Soell issued two summonses to an individual at Barnegat Light. One for 26 over the limit tautog and another for 24 undersized tautog. The court date was scheduled for December 3, 2012, the opening day of six day firearm season. CO Soell called the court a week before the court date and advised them he was not available for court due to a reassignment for the deer/bear season. The court clerk advised CO Soell they would wait to see how the individual would plead on the day of the court. CO Soell spoke to the court clerk after the court date to ascertain if they had rescheduled the case to another day. The court clerk advised that the individual had pleaded guilty to all charges and he was charged the full amount for the summonses, $1500.00 plus costs.

District 7 COs were vigilant in the enforcement of the emergency shellfish closure after Super storm Sandy with dozens of recreational clammers turned away from the seasonal harvest areas in the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers in Monmouth County. Hundreds of contaminated clams were returned to the water.

During the second week of December, CO Scott attended a one-week Armorer training course in Virginia for the M14 and AR15 rifles. This is a very technical and intensive class. CO Scott is now a certified armorer for these patrol rifles.

On 11/28/12, Lt. Dravis, COs Moscatiello, Soell, Scott, and two undercover District 8 COs acted on information that a mate aboard a party boat vessel located in Monmouth County was filleting undersized black sea bass for various patrons. An undercover operation was arranged and while the reported violation did not occur on this trip, a large number of patrons were found to be in possession of undersized black sea bass during the inspection. Many of the patrons drove a great distance, some from as far away as Washington DC, to fish on this boat. Over 30 fish were seized and summonses for possession of undersized black sea bass were issued to several patrons. It was also observed by the undercover officers that the vessel fished in federal waters where the black sea bass season was closed. That information was turned over to National Marine Fisheries Service agents.

On 12/2/12, COs Scott and Moscatiello traveled to Bergen and Passiac Counties to perform fisheries compliance inspections on random fish markets and restaurants. Six establishments were inspected and several violations were uncovered. All possessed several whole lobsters measuring less than 3 3/8" carapace length which were imported into New Jersey from Maine, where the legal size is 3 1/4". Based on information gathered from these inspections, additional businesses were inspected and more violations were found. In total, several dozen undersized lobsters were seized and returned to the Maine wholesaler responsible for the initial sale of these sublegal lobsters to the New Jersey dealers. A small sample of the lobsters was retained as evidence. Summonses were issued to the businesses for possession of undersized lobsters.

Earlier this fall, COs Klitz, Moscatiello, and Scott acted on information given to CO Klitz in regards to four individuals that were reportedly taking undersized and over limit tautog off the Manasquan Inlet Jetty. CO Scott set up a surveillance position across the inlet on the Point Pleasant Beach side while COs Klitz and Moscatiello remained out of sight several blocks away. CO Scott was able to identify the suspects that were still fishing on the end of the jetty. About an hour and a half later the suspects began to pack up and walk off the jetty. As the group got closer to the parking lot they split into two groups of two men each. The first two men walked slowly towards the parking lot carrying only a plastic bag that appeared very heavy and one fishing pole and a tackle box. The second group stopped and watched the parking lot. As the first two men exited the jetty they placed the plastic bag in the garbage can and continued walking toward their vehicle. CO Scott relayed this information to COs Klitz and Moscatiello and they began to slowly respond to the area. Realizing the coast appeared to be clear; the second group began to walk off the jetty carrying their cooler and the rest of the fishing gear. As the second group cleared the jetty, one of the men dug into the garbage can and retrieved the same plastic bag the first group left in there. CO Scott called in COs Klitz and Moscatiello, who identified the men immediately and were able to quickly approach them for a fisheries inspection. The inspection resulted in a seizure of over a dozen illegal fish and all of their fishing gear. Furthermore, as the CO's were attending to this group, additional fisherman were now coming off the jetty and walking directly towards them. CO Scott assisted with more inspections and a total of ten summonses were issued for both possession of undersized and over limit tautog.

On 12/18/12, CO Scott apprehended four fishermen in possession of 16 illegal striped bass in the Sea Bright area of Monmouth County. The striped bass measured from 14 inches to 19.5 inches total length. Summonses were issued to all of the fishermen for possession of undersized striped bass.

On 12/5/12 CO Scott contacted CO Moscatiello with information he received about undersized stripers being taken in Sea Bright. CO Moscatiello signed on duty and responded to the area. CO Scott called CO Moscatiello while he was en route and advised him that one group of fisherman was leaving. CO Moscatiello contacted the Sea Bright Police Department and was able to have officers respond and hold the men until he arrived. During the inspection CO Moscatiello located 13 undersized striped bass in the trunk of the vehicle. During this inspection, CO Scott contacted CO Moscatiello to inform him that the men had hidden a bag full of short striped bass under a stairwell, and had also thrown a bag of stripers on top of the sea wall when the police turned their backs to the men. The bags were retrieved and a total of 27 striped bass were located between the hidden bags and the trunk of the vehicle. One of the Sea Bright officers then stated that he believed a man still fishing on the other side of the wall had buried fish. CO Moscatiello looked over the wall and observed two men on the beach one of which was walking with two heavy bags back to the rock wall. After the man walked back to his fishing gear CO Moscatiello conducted a routine inspection at the waterline. The man stated they had no fish, and upon questioning of the bags being carried to the wall, he had no recollection. The CO was then able to follow the footprints in the sand back to the wall and located two bags with a total of 10 undersized striped bass. There was a total of 37 undersized striped bass between the two groups. Three fishermen were issued summonses for both possession of several undersized and over limit striped bass. The penalty is $100 per illegally possessed striped bass.

On 12/5/12, CO Moscatiello conducted a follow up inspection of a dealer that had reportedly sold undersized lobsters (carapace length measuring less than 3 3/8") to a local restaurant that CO's Scott and Moscatiello had recently inspected. Upon inspection of the dealer the CO located 19 undersized lobsters. The dealer was issued a summons for possession of undersized lobsters.

Between 12/5/12 and 12/14/12, CO Moscatiello conducted several patrols specifically looking for striped bass violations in the Sea Bright area. During this time CO Moscatiello inspected twelve striper fishermen which yielded a total of 16 summonses for undersized and over limit striped bass.

Four Conservation Officer Trainees graduated from Gloucester County Police Academy. Brice Paey won the Directors Award. James Woerner won the physical fitness award. Conservation Officers Chris Wren, Andrew Riviello and Tyler Hausamann all completed their FTO periods and are now patrolling on their own.